A Call for Compassion : Archbishop Urges Kindness for Anti-Abortion ‘Rescuers’

In his first appearance at an Operation Rescue rally, Roman Catholic Archbishop Roger M. Mahony Friday night called on police to use “prudence and great caution” in dealing with the anti-abortionists who seek to close family-planning clinics through blockades.

“It is totally unnecessary for any police department to resort to methods clearly designed to cause pain or physical suffering,” Mahony told about 3,500 supporters of the radical anti-abortion group that has staged sit-ins at Southland abortion clinics since February.

The speech, before an overflow crowd at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, marked the first time the archbishop had appeared publicly before the anti-abortion group. His speech elicited several standing ovations and the crowd was the largest that Operation Rescue has been able to attract in Orange County.

In his talk, Mahony urged participants to offer practical alternatives to women seeking abortions. “We must be realistic,” he said. “Those who feel compelled to go for an abortion are very desperate women in very desperate situations.”

Mahony said several dozen priests and bishops have participated in what he termed rescues across the country and at least four have been arrested. He said he did not feel personally called to participate in the rescues.

Operation Rescue plans another blockade today at one or more undisclosed facilities.

Mahony spoke while Operation Rescue leader Randall Terry waited off-stage. He did not appear before the crowd with the controversial lay pastor, who took the podium later, but Mahoney did meet privately with Terry for a few minutes.

Mahony made no reference to last week’s announcement by the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese that Operation Rescue could not hold scheduled rallies at Catholic churches because its blockades were banned by a March court order. Diocese officials said they feared that the church would lose insurance coverage if it appeared to be part of illegal activities.

Friday’s rally came in the middle of a 10-day Operation Rescue campaign in Southern California that began Aug. 7 with the Los Angeles trial of five Operation Rescue leaders, including founder and lay pastor Terry. They are being tried on conspiracy and trespassing charges stemming from a March 25 blockade of women’s clinic in Los Angeles.

All 367 “rescuers,” arrested after a March 23 sit-in at a Cypress clinic, pleaded no contest to charges of failing to disperse or disturbing the peace. Given a choice, most decided to spend two days in jail, but Terry chose the other alternative--three days helping Caltrans pick up trash, according to David La Bahn, deputy district attorney.

Since Monday, supporters have also led anti-abortion marches by children whom they call “survivors” of abortion, and a memorial for fetuses found in a Woodland Hills dumpster in 1982.

Further rallies are planned on the evenings of Aug. 13 through 16. At the rallies, leaders will announce whether the next day’s activities will include more blockades, demonstrations or lobbying of local politicians.

Meanwhile, pro-choice leaders have regrouped into the Clinic Defense Alliance of Los Angeles and the Orange County Pro Choice Coalition, said Barbara Jackson, the Orange County representative to the Los Angeles group.

“If the hit’s in Orange County, the Orange County leadership takes charge at a given clinic and the Clinic Defense Alliance works with them. If the hit’s in L.A., the Clinic Defense Alliance calls the shots,” she said.

In addition, another Orange County organization is being formed to deal with pro-choice issues besides clinic defense, Jackson said.

Orange County pro-choice volunteers have more than doubled their numbers to 1,000 since the Supreme Court decision enlarging states’ ability to restrict abortions, according to Patti Headland-Wauson, pro-choice leader.

New recruits included two who described themselves as Christians, Larkette Lein, 36, and Paul Courry, 35, of Irvine, who demonstrated with about 50 pro-choice volunteers outside the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Friday night.

“The world needs to know not all Christians want to force you to have a baby against your will. We know there are tough choices,” said Lein.